My sons bike got stolen from school at the end of last term, the school were not overly interested or helpful, but we filed police report so it was logged etc…

Fast forward to yesterday and I spot a youth 16-18 years old at a guess riding the bike up the high street, literally feet from me, what would you do in this situation? I’ll let “own with bombers” type comments take place before finishing the story…

1 youth? No group back-up?

I’d stop him and demand it back. Not very exciting, and no wee, shoes etc, but that’s what I’d do.

stop him and call the police whilst holding on to the bike.  He may even have bought the bike in good faith but its still yours

The time it happened to me I chased after him (on foot) but soon remembered that bikes are quicker than pedestrians.  Not sure what I planned to do if I had caught up with him…

I’m guessing it was insured and they paid out ? If yes it’s not your bike any more and it’s giving Ned/possible thief exercise. Win-win

What I would have liked to do would be to grab the bike and offer the scroute a walk home or a chat with the police.

What would have happened is me sitting at home later that day wishing I could have sprung into action quick enough to do that…

Any chance of a quick end to the story…going out soon.

As above, if it was still mine – dial the dibble up and try to hold onto the bike by the rear wheel / frame. If he kicks off then that’s a different matter and would only speed up the visit from a pcso type person.

If I’d claimed on insurance, still dial up the cops up but report it as being a stolen bike that you’ve found.

Even if he had bought it in good faith, its still nicked, and one less stolen bike on the streets is a good thing in my book. In short – let the cops deal with it, but if it was mine I’d try and get it back.

This happened to my brother many years ago. Bike stolen from our high street. About a year later while sat in the pub in the same high street saw his bike over the road outside a shop.

Waited for the lad to come out, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and marched him to the police station. Got bike back that day.

Couldn’t happen now of course as there is no police station in the town any more.

I’m guessing it was insured and they paid out ? If yes it’s not your bike any more and it’s giving Ned/possible thief exercise. Win-win

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Well I thought the same as many of the above comments, I’d grab the bike & call police.

However I’m generally not a confrontation type of person, so didn’t quite go like that at the time, think I was just generally surprised by it all.

Anyway stopped him for a “chat” some bull story of brother mates friend etc etc… his in good faith, don’t know what you’re talking about blah blah.  Only a cheapish bike so without wanting to escalate with a potential minor, told him it’s nicked, obviously refused to give me any details, so told him fine I’ll take your picture.  Took his photo and off he went… was all a bit weird.

Headed over to the police station with said photo, which caused some general confusion with the police staff as unusual apparently, but bike was recovered a couple of hours later by the police, after circulating photo and doing some policing, so big thumbs up there!. Picked it backup this morning.

Oh and no insurance claim, as we didn’t have away from home cover (at the time)

From photo to recovered goods in a couple of hours? Smells like matey boy’s had dealings before 🙂

You should have followed him home and then stolen it back. Good outcome though OP glad you got it back for your son.

How would you stop a teef on a bike anyway? I would grab him round the neck or kick the front wheel.

Result! Well done OP.

This happened to me. I stopped the guy passively. I told him it was my bike & i wanted it back. He contested this. I the pulled out my phone and started dialling 999, stating that we’d continue our disagreement with the Police. He then gave me the bike back. I hung up (call not connected). I rode off on it. He walked.

How would you stop a teef on a bike anyway?

In my case, we passed him cycling along the road on my stolen bike, we were driving. I got dropped off further down the road and awaited him, as he approached the traffic light i pressed the pedestrian crossing button which stopped the traffic & him.

A couple of weeks back I saw a kid riding my recently stolen bike. He was with a gang of mates and I had my toddler with me, so I wasn’t about to grab it. I got out my phone and started filming. I then dialled 999. At this point the kids worked out what was going on and scarpered. I have given the police the evidence and the case has been allocated to a named officer, but I’m yet to be contacted by them. The kid has probably chucked it in a canal by now, but I’m still hopeful he can be identified and face some consequences.

whilst walking down the street I saw some scrote on my recently stolen bmx riding down the other side, too far away to catch. I told myself angrily that if I saw him again I’d give him the full bombers, etc.

2 weeks later, he’s riding towards me, on my bike, on a narrowish path. I’m carrying a pot of paint from b&q in one hand and something else in the other. I ‘accidentally’ get in his way so he stops, at which point I tell him the bike is mine, and it’s stolen. He tells me its not. I tell him I have the frame number (complete bluff), and I’m calling the police, at which point he tried to get away. I grab the bike and a fistfight ensues, which I win despite still holding the can of paint (I didn’t hit him with it. honest..), eventually he buggers off on foot whilst shouting abuse at me, telling me he knows where I live. I continue to pretend to call the police, then push the bike home.

Sometimes, having a bike stolen is worth it if you get to steal it back 😀

I caught a scrote walking off with my colleagues bike.

Put him on his arse , then pinned him up against the wall in a hugely over the top rather shouty way.

Didnt want him getting the idea he could either leg it or fight his out of the situation, also alleviated any issue if he was carrying a knife.

Cops turned up and put him in a car with ‘Hello again Steve ‘ , druggie repeat offender ., took statements = No further action

Different scenario but scruffy youth went along our street trying car door handles, peering through windows etc.

I went out, verbally challenged him & he clears off with the usual backchat.

So I grabbed his photo as he went.

An hour later P.C Jobsworth arrives. Not at all interested in the scrote checking doors etc, but instead warns me about photographing him without his permission.

You cant win.

Am I the only one who was expecting a plot twist as the OP gets cautioned for taking photos of a minor?

Good result, obviously known to Police.

I was really hoping 5labs story finished

“Anyway, when I got home, I checked the frame number and realized it wasn’t my bike at all” 😀